Snow
by veritaserumkills
Summary: Hestia Jones would never admit it, but the snowflakes of Hogwarts, despite their shortcomings, were, in her opinion, some of the most magical things the place had to offer. T for a tiny bit of language and F for an awful lot of fluff.


A/N: Last thing I post before I update, I promise (with the exception of the first chapter of a project I'm working on). I did this for a roleplay and was rather proud of it, so I figured I'd post it up here to share. If you don't like the pairing, I'd rather you not waste both your time and mine with a rude review, because that is completely unnecessary and takes a toll of negativity on us both.

That being said, this is set in the Marauders' seventh year. I hope you enjoy my fluffiness!

* * *

There's something to be said for snow in the afternoon of a cold, wet day in January. It has a ethereal quality, something that makes people, even those who would migrate south with the birds if they could, notice its beauty. The flakes that gently float to the grounds of Hogwarts every year are really no different than they are anywhere else. They appear on gray mornings and cover the lawn, the greenhouses, even Hagrid's garden. But as inconvenient as that might make things for the students, and as irritating as it is to change damp socks whenever one comes in from a lesson outside, Hestia Jones had always thought otherwise. She would never admit it, but the snowflakes of Hogwarts, despite their shortcomings, were, in her opinion, some of the most magical things the place had to offer.

After seven years of blizzards and hundreds, if not thousands, of sock changes, all because of the bloody snow in all its horror, Hestia had taken to wondering why Dumbledore hadn't put up some sort of shield to protect them from the dreadful winter weather. Most days, she griped all the way to Herbology and back, never silenced until she was wrapped in a warm pair of robes in Transfiguration. These were the days she wished she'd taken Divination, for the roaring fire and stuffy room if nothing else. It was better than History of Magic, where Professor Binns often failed to realize when the window had been left wide open, or Potions in the dungeons, which were sometimes unbearably cold even in June.

So it was no wonder that Hestia herself was baffled one Saturday in January when her eyes became mesmerized by the snow. She watched it fall, flake by flake, from the library window, her Arithmancy essay forgotten on the table. The flow was slow and the sky was an odd shade of gray, the kind that seemed its own color. Perhaps something akin to periwinkle, but not quite purple enough…

Whatever had drawn Hestia's eyes out the window today wasn't enough to keep her rooted to her seat. An idea struck her quite suddenly, one she hadn't given a second thought to for months now. She packed up her things and bolted out of the library, bag swinging back and forth against her backside as she trotted along through the corridors until she reached the familiar portrait she had been searching for. A password and several flights of stairs later, she stopped outside the door to the seventh year Gryffindor boys' dormitory for a single moment before pushing it open and slipping into the nearly empty room. Her bag fell soundlessly to the floor as she surveyed the sight of Remus lying fast asleep on his bed, a book clutched in the hand resting on his chest while the other was sprawled above him. Hestia shook her head and tiptoed to his bed.

"Hey, sleepy head," she murmured as she traced his jaw with her finger. Remus jolted awake, disoriented until he saw Hestia's face. And then he smiled.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. He sat up and kissed her tenderly on the lips. "Not that I'm objecting to such a pleasant surprise."

"You'd better not be," Hestia grinned. "I had an idea. Get bundled up. I've got an expedition for us."

"An expedition?" Remus asked cautiously.

"Mhmm." Hestia kissed him on the cheek and sauntered back to her bag. "It's a good one, too, and safe. Mostly, anyway. Oh, don't look at me like that, as if you haven't done _extremely_ dangerous things before. Besides, it's a _surprise_, love, and I can't tell you anything else without spoiling it. Hurry up, though, we haven't got all day."

Once she had persuaded Remus to come along with her, Hestia dragged him out to the lake. She stood on the shoreline with her hands on her hips and smiled proudly.

"Well, here we are."

"Hes, you know it's frozen, don't you?"

But Hestia refused to be discouraged. "That's precisely the point." She fell back on her bum, thanking Merlin for her wool tights as she did so, and pointed her wand at the bottom of her boots. "Come here and let me fix your shoes. It's safe and reversible, I promise." Remus surrendered, albeit reluctantly, and watched her repeat the charm on his shoes. "Now, it's simple, really," Hestia instructed as she turned herself to face the lake. She set her feet down on the frozen surface and pushed herself up to a crouch. Already, she was gliding. "Just be careful not to fall over and break the ice. I can't have you drowning on me, can I?"

"Ice skating?" Remus chuckled. "That's your big-wait, when did you become a master skater?" he asked as Hestia stood tall on the ice, moving backwards in a perfect figure eight motion.

Hestia shrugged. "Betty taught me a bit last year. It's fun, come and try. Unless, of course, you're not as brave as I thought you were," she teased. Remus rolled his eyes and copied her earlier actions, though not quite as gracefully. Once he was standing steadily, he began to glide towards her on the ice. "No, don't come after me," Hestia objected. "You have to do this on your own. I won't have you bringing me down."

"Do you really have that little confidence in my ability?" Remus asked with a mock frown. A small cloud of air formed in front of him as he took a dramatic breath. "I guess I'll just have to show you up." He started off alright, skating with ease from one point to the next, throwing in an awkward dance move every now and again. Hestia laughed as she twirled about in a circle.

"Now for the real question," she said. "When did _you_ become such a skating master?"

Remus put on an air of arrogance. "Some people are just naturals at certain things, Hestia," he said stuffily. "And I just so happen to be a natural at ever-oh, shit." He stumbled forward for a moment before landing flat on his stomach. Hestia's jaw dropped. She propelled herself forward immediately.

"Are you alright?" she asked as he rolled onto his back with a groan. "Are you hurt? Do you need to go to the Hospital Wing?"

"I'm fine, Hestia," Remus said as he propped himself up. "You worry too much. It was just a fall." Unconvinced, she halted next to him, spraying a bit of ice on his trousers as she stopped. "I can get up and everything," Remus insisted. "Honestly." But Hestia would have none of it. She settled in his lap and grabbed his face between her palms as she began to examine every inch of his face. "It's fine. What are you get so worked up for?"

"I just want to make sure you're alright," Hestia whined. "Is that a crime? Fine, fend for yourself." She dropped her hands to her knees and stared at the bits of snow that had caught on his eyelashes. There was something different about Hogwarts snow, something mesmerizing. Her trance was only broken by the touch of wool against her cheek as he slicked a strand of dark hair behind her ear. He leaned closer and the cloud of breath was suddenly tangible and warm against her skin. "Am I overbearing?"

Remus nodded. "Just a bit. But it's part of your charm."

"It's just because I love you."

"I know." He paused to kiss her gently. "I love you, too. I'd do the same."

Hestia smiled softly and adjusted the edges of Remus' hat. "It's getting awfully cold," she observed. "Should we go back inside?"

"Are you crazy?" Remus exclaimed. "I was just getting started. You're just afraid I'll out skate you, aren't you?"

"What? No, I'm not." To prove her point, Hestia scrambled to her feet and held out her hands. "Come on. I'm going to have to supervise you now, so let's get going."

Remus took her outstretched hands and stood up, rising several feet above her small form.

"If it'll make you feel better," he said. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Lead the way, then, master skater."

Hestia laughed. "Alright, then." She wrapped her arm around his waist and guided him around the lake. As the pair leaned into each other, the snow continued to fall, and Hestia could have sworn she felt a very special magic in the air. But that might have been a very different type of magic. Probably one that didn't have anything to do with the snow.


End file.
